IN Panama, parliamentarians from 15 Latin American and Caribbean nations called on the U.S. government yesterday to immediately release the five Cuban anti-terrorists imprisoned in that country since 1998.

The demand is part of the statement issued by a continental meeting in Panama on Monday in solidarity with Cuba and the cause of those five anti-terrorist fighters.

They note that on September 12, these Cubans will have completed 10 years of unjust incarceration in the United States for the sole action of fighting to prevent aggression from U.S.-based terrorist groups.

Throughout these close to 10 years of unfair and disproportionate prison terms, they have been the victims of cruel treatment toward them and their families.

The parliamentarians also state that the manipulated and arbitrary legal proceedings against the Five have perpetuated their incarceration.

They add that this conduct on the part of the U.S. courts and government is in violation of the anti-terrorists’ most elemental rights, in finding them guilty of charges without evidence and handing down totally disproportionate sentences.

Participants in the meeting also announced various actions to promote the release of the Cuban Five and to confront the campaign of distortion constructed around the case by the U.S. government.

They plan to make full use of contacts with U.S. senators and representatives to present their concerns and demand justice for the Five.

At the same time they will promote parliamentary action to ask their countries’ governments to put the need to do justice in the cases of the Five and their families before the U.S. authorities.

They likewise decided to organize visits from legislators in the region to the prisons where those fighters are incarcerated, among other actions promoting their release.

The meeting began yesterday morning in the presence of the presidents of the National Assemblies of Cuba, Ricardo Alarcón; Nicaragua, René Nuñez; and Panama, Pedro Miguel González. (PL)